Twisting machine for sill steps



April 28, 1953 G. E. ALGATT TWISTING MACHINE FOR SILL STEPS Filed Dec. 9, 1949 INVENTOR gqrgeEfllyafi ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1953 TWISTING MACHINE FOR SILL STEPS George E. Algatt, Berwick, Pa., assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 9, 1949, Serial No. 132,154

1 Claim.

This invention relates to twisting means for bar stock and in particular to twisting means for placing a right angle twist in bars intended for sill steps on freight cars.

In the past sill steps have been made by shaping the hot sill step then after cooling and reheating the ends were individually twisted to produce the desired form. Such an operation was extremely expensive since it required a plurality of heats and a plurality of operators. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a twisting machine for bar stock which can positively control the exact point and type of twist and which will require but a single operator. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bar twisting machine permitting exact control of the length of twist and the axis about which the twist occurs.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of twister die blocks for holding bar stock, which blocks permit at least four types of twists to be made per set of blocks.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the die blocks in a difierent position, and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a completed sill step.

Referring now to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the machine is mounted on a table or other supporting structure 2 and is preferably made in duplicate halves, each having a base 4 to which is bolted or otherwise secured angle shaped guides 6 which, together with the base, form slideways for clamp members 8 and die holders Ill. The clamp members 8 are formed of solid blocks having the top portion notched to 2 slideways and firmly clamped in the desired position.

Each of the die holders illis formed of a block adapted to slide within a slideways under control of an air or other fluid cylinder C to which it is connected by piston rod 22. Air or other motive fluid will be supplied to the cylinders through pipes 24. On the side opposite piston 22 the die holder is equipped with adjustable stop members 26 which are adapted to contact the clamp members 8 thereby providing a definite predetermined spacing between the die holder and the clamp members. The die holders are slotted as at 30 to permit an operating handle 32 to be moved therein and the handle is fastened to a circular die retaining block 34. This circular die retaining block is provided with a rectangular opening 36 in which may be slid a pair of dies 38. Each die half is provided with a half of a rectangular opening which, when the halves cooperate, will provide a rectangular opening for the reception of the bar B. As shown in Fig. 2 the halves 38 are assembled so that the axis of rotation is substantially centrally located with respect to the bar to be twisted. In Fig. 4, however, the blocks 38 are turned over end for end as a unit to reposition the rectangular opening in the die block so that the axis of rotation is adjacent the lower edge of the bar B. If it be desired to obtain other types of twists the blocks 38 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 may be separated and the outer slots 50 brought into adjacent relationship so as to provide bar receiving slots with the axis of twists located diiierently than in Figs, 2 and 4, thus it will be seen that by means of a single pair of dies four types of twists may be quickly obtained by merely shifting the position of the dies in the openings of the circular die holder. As clearly shown, the dies are held in place by means of straps 52 bolted or otherwise secured to the rotary die holder.

In operation the straight and heated bar B will be dropped into the clamp members 8 and clamped by means of handled set screws 16, after which air or other motive fluid will be applied to cylinders C moving them longitudinally toward each other and over the ends of the bar B. The fluid pressure in the cylinders C will firmly hold stops 26 against the clamp members at a predetermined distance previously set. With the parts in this closed position the handles 32 may be pulled downwardly in the desired direction to a position such as shown in the line and dash of Figs. 2 and 4. It will be noted that with the dies in the position shown in Fig. 2 rotation In cases where the dies are rotated end for 811d:

toward each other from the position of Fig. 4,

then the twist would take place-about a oenter positioned slightly above thelongitudinal center of the bar. After the desired-twist of the ubar has been accomplished the cylinders will,b eac-:

tuated to pull the die holders off the end of the twisted bar and the handlee-canfihem be returned to their upright or full line pqsition in readiness to repeat the; operation on a subsequentbar-t ollow nslthe twist ng, ftheba end it maybe immediately removed" from the machine bylcossnina la ps J5 andtbe. fin l ben madam n ducelthe fi 5hfid1 1 st p. as sh w in' E eI 5f a d-witho t a y reh at n he ba Wh Ie the nve tio has been des r be m or le s i d tail, with na t ul lt r eren o the a m aml ne. r w n s it" w l be 'q v u g ha various; modifications and; rearrangements of parts. y be, ma i out; p tin fro the c p o he nitention. s d f ne w he. 7 l o ingolaim.

' "\(Vhatisclaimed ig:

"in a hartwistina mach ncrthe comb nat o .o a base formed with slidewam. ac ams mem e adjustab carried. in-t e. slidew y s d c a p member. including. abicckhfprm d. with, a ve ic recess; inzits. upper, Wa l. a, bar retaine c com r a. body formed with avertical slot extending th u h its upp ace sa dhbar e a n r being adapted ,to seat in the recess; in said block, means for clamping saidbar retainerin the recess in said block; means extending; through the block and the bar retainer for clamping stock material in the slot in said bar retainer, a die holder slidable in the slideway in said base, said die holder including a block formed with a central bore, an adjustable stop projecting from the inner face of the die holder for abutment with the clamp block ,to limit the spacing between-the clamp bloc a did e holder, adie; retaini bl c p s tioned in said bore for rotary movement, said die retaining block being formed with an axially aligned rectangular opening, a pair of dies -arranged in-saidrectangular opening, said dies p.llQrmallyfilling.said rectangular opening and having their abutting faces formed with cooperatinglslots whiehregister to provide an opening of the same diameter as the slot in said bar I retainer said slots-being formed ofi center from thetransverse medial plane of said dies whereby reversal of said dies will shift said rectangul r Qpcnine 2m ts previous. p ane, handl 01: rotating. sa d .die reta nin bar. and n r-r l" 1 movin th die hdderalon its guideway.

' E. .AL,GA'I'TT.

Reierences ,Cited in the, file, of, this; patent SIATES' PATENTS 

